Parasites of the Caribbean
Bahamas
Puddle Jumping
Andros
Andros
• Andros is the largest island in the Bahamas, it
is sparsely populated
• The island has an extensive cave system that
captures rainwater
– Three to four million gallons of freshwater are
transported by tanker every day to nearby Nassau,
which has a limited supply of freshwater and a few
desalinization plants
Economy
• Most of the natives are fairly poor
• The primary drivers of the economy are an
American naval base and tourism, much of
which is directed towards sportfishing
– Anglers are drawn to the large expanse of shallow
flats surrounding the island, as well as the nearby
Tongue of the Ocean, an expanse of very deep
water that harbors numerous pelagic species
Hibiscus
Forfar Field Station
East
Flats at Low Tide
Flats at High Tide
Bonefish
Marco with Bar Jack
Phylum Platyhelminthes
• Flatworms
• Class Trematoda
– Endoparasites primarily in the digestive tract of
vertebrates
• Subclass Digenea
– At least two hosts in life cycle
• First is a mollusc
– Usually two suckers serving as holdfast organs
• Oral and ventral
Order Hemiuriformes
Family Hemiuridae
• Common digenetic trematodes infecting the
gut of marine fish
• First intermediate host is a mollusk
• Second intermediate host is an arthropod
– Copepod, shrimp, crab
• Final host is a fish
Hemiurus
• Telescoping ecsoma
Hemiurus
Hemiurus
Derogenes
• Bulging ventral sucker
Derogenes
Derogenes
Lecithaster
• Vitellaria form rosette of seven tubes
Lecithaster
Lecithaster
Opecoeloides
• Ventral sucker on projection
Opecoeloides
Opecoeloides
Phylum Acanthocephala
• Thorny-headed worms
• Parasites of intestines of vertebrates
• Retractable proboscis armed with hooks
serving as holdfast organ
• Class Palaeacanthocephala
• Order Echinorhynchida
• Family Rhadinorhynchidae
Rhadinorhynchus
• Very long, slender proboscis
• Intermediate host is a crustacean
• Final host is a fish
Rhadinorhynchus
Rhadinorhynchus
Rhadinorhynchus
Phylum Arthropoda
• Jointed appendages and a hard exoskeleton
• Subphylum Crustacea
– Five pair of appendages on the head
– 2 pair of antennae, 3 pair of mouthparts
• Class Maxillopoda
Order Siphonostomatoida
Family Caligidae
• Order Siphonostomatoida
– Reduced segmentation and appendages as
adaptations for life as parasites
• Family Caligidae
– Large, shield-like carapace covers head and thorax
Caligus
Caligus
Caligus